Someone To Protect
by beermoney5
Summary: Sesshomaru has a situation he’s not sure how to deal with. Sess / Kags, Oneshot


**Someone To Protect**

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He knew he should have locked her up in his dungeon. She would have been angry but at least he wouldn't have to worry about her safety. She insisted on going to war with him and he relented knowing she would have followed even if he had said no. Now his attention was divided by the enemy and protecting her.

They were supposed to be mated today but as he was getting ready for the ceremony word came to him that Takeshi had attacked on his borders, which needed immediate attention. Sesshomaru set out with his army along with his brother, the demon slayer, and monk. He left the kitsun and the demon slayer's brother behind with Rin and Jaken. Jaken had protested but after he explained he was staying behind to make sure Rin and the other two pups would be safe if he should fail to win the war, he complied. Takeshi, a scorpion youkai who had just taken over the northern lands, had a thirst for power and now had his eyes set on the west. Sesshomaru, even though he knew this day would come, was surprise that the attack was so sudden after Takeshi had taken over the north. He had figured the scorpion youkai would need more time to regroup his army than a mere few months. He had underestimated the strength and vastness of Takeshi's army. Sesshomaru suspected there was more behind Takeshi's attack on his lands. A while back he had killed three of Takeshi's sons, leaving him with one, when they had attacked a village under his protection, and Takeshi swore on his son's graves that he would make Sesshomaru pay one day.

With one swing of his sword and a flick of his wrist he dispatched five more of the enemy soldiers as he glanced over in Kagome's direction and noticed she had strayed farther from him than he liked while she shot one arrow after another. Moving in her direction quickly he was stopped by three more enemy youkai and dispatched them quickly. As he looked around for Kagome he noticed they were winning the war, which pleased him greatly.

Realizing the miko in Sesshomaru's army was the human he had heard Sesshomaru was going to mate, Takeshi race towards her in a last desperate chance at revenge. If he struck her with his tail she would be dead instantly, leaving Sesshomaru to mourn her lost like he had his son's. Noticing Takeshi's move Sesshomaru raced in their direction to intervene. He leapt when he was close enough, throwing Kagome to the ground and shielding her small form with his larger one just as Takeshi's stinger at the tip of his tail came down to deliver the fatal blow penetrating Sesshomaru's leg instead. Sesshomaru, fighting off the blackness that tried to consume him, turned in an instant flicking his whip to wrap around and immobilize Takeshi's tail before he could strike again.

"No!" Takeshi screamed as Sesshomaru swung his sword to end the scorpion youkai's life. "You shouldn't be able to move." Were his last words as he disintegrated.

The last thing Sesshomaru heard was Kagome frantically screaming his name before blackness finally claimed him.

*****

"So how bad is it?" Inuyasha asked standing in his brother's room after Kagome had gone with Sango to get something to eat.

"It's none of your concern."

"Fine. Be that way." Inuyasha huffed out. "Are you going to tell Kagome when she gets back?"

"That is also none of your concern."

"Why do you have to be an asshole all the time?"

"If you are done interrogating me, I would like some time alone to put my thoughts in order before Kagome comes back."

He wasn't sure what he was going to do about Kagome. He was told that he had been unconscious for two days and she had never left his side. After, he woke her friends had made her go and get something to eat, dragging her out of his bedroom. He couldn't let her see him like this. It was one thing to have his own court and soldiers to pity him but another to see it in Kagome's eyes. No matter how hard it would be to do it there was only one course of action.

"Whatever." Inuyasha stormed to the door pausing. "You know Sesshomaru, if you need to talk I'm here for you."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Shortly after Kagome came back entering the room with a bright smile. It would be the last time he would see her smile like that and his heart broke at the thought.

"I'm sorry I took so long. I'm…"

"You need to leave." Sesshomaru said quickly and harshly. "Tonight."

"What?" Kagome responded surprised by his demand.

"I will not repeat myself."

"I'm not leaving." Kagome replied as she walked towards his bed. "What has gotten into you? Did I do something wrong?"

"Yes, by existing and seducing me but I've finally come to my senses. I can't believe I almost mated someone as weak as you."

"You… you don't mean that."

"I do. I had to keep you from getting killed because you're so weak and in the process I almost lost my own life. That is not acceptable. Leave now for you and your friends have until morning to be gone otherwise you will all be executed."

"I can't believe you're saying these things." Kagome said, tears filling her eyes. "What about everything we've been through? I gave up my family in my own time to be with you?"

"That is none of my concern and I have no use for you anymore. Leave, now!" He growled out. When she made no move to leave he shouted for his guard. "Keitaro!"

"Yes my lord?"

"Escort the miko to her friends. They are to be packed and gone from the premises by morning."

"My lord?"

"Now."

"My lady, please if I may." Keitaro said as he reached for Kagome's arm.

"Don't touch me. I will leave on my own without resistance." Kagome walked to the door holding back her tears the best she could. With her hand on the door she paused and looked over her shoulder. "I regret ever meeting you, falling in love with you and giving myself to you. I hate you." Kagome ground out before rushing out of the room in a mad dash to the east wing of the castle where her friend's rooms were located.

Sesshomaru's heart clenched at her departing words and saw his whole world crumble before him.

"My lord, is this a wise decision?"

"Are you questioning my actions?"

"No, my lord. I am only confused by your actions."

"It's best for everybody involved, especially Kagome. She deserves someone better. Stronger. Someone who can protect her, which I no longer can do."

"If you say so my lord." Keitaro bowed before leaving the room.

Kagome raced down the halls to the east wing with tears blurring her vision. When she rounded the last turn to where her friends rooms were located she smacked into Inuyasha as he was leaving his room.

"Kagome what's wrong?" He asked concerned by her state of unease and gripped her by the arm to keep her from falling.

"Sesshomaru… He…. He…" Kagome stuttered through her tears.

"Kagome calm down and tell me what happened. Did something happen to Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha asked as Sango and Miroku came out of their room to see what the commotion was about.

"No." Kagome hiccupped trying to compose herself. "He told me to leave and that all of us have until morning to be gone or he'll have us executed."

"What?" Both Sango and Miroku exclaimed at the same time.

"Bastard." Inuyasha responded knowing full well what Sesshomaru was doing and not liking it. He must be hurt bad if he was pushing Kagome away on purpose. Even though he still didn't think Sesshomaru deserved Kagome, he did love her and he made her happy, that is until now. "Tell me everything he said."

"He told me that I was a mistake and that he finally came to his senses. He just said some hurtful things and then told me we had to leave."

"Kagome. Sesshomaru loves you."

"No he doesn't."

"Yes he does. Just listen to me. Do you know anything about Takeshi and his clan?"

Kagome just shook her head.

"Their youkai that produce a strong poison." Sango volunteered.

"Yeah, but it's not like other poison that most poisonous youkai produce. To other youkai their poison usually isn't lethal, it just slows down their victims making it easier to kill them. The poison Takeshi and his son's produce is stronger and more lethal. It can kill humans and weaker youkai instantly from paralysis. In stronger youkai, like Sesshomaru, it causes instant paralysis that only makes the victims unconscious temporarily which enables Takeshi and his son to kill their opponent without a struggle. If their opponent happens to survive there could be permanent damage."

Kagome remembered Sesshomaru blacking out after killing Takeshi while protecting her. "But Sesshomaru is immune to poison."

"He's immune to _most_ poison. Not the kind Takeshi produced."

"So your saying Sesshomaru is hurt worse then he's letting on and it's permanent?"

"Yeah, and he's pushing you away on purpose because of it."

"How bad can it be?"

"It depends on how much poison was injected. It could range from slight numbing in the area that the stinger penetrated or complete paralysis."

"That stupid jerk. I don't care if he's paralyzed. I'm going to go back and give him a piece of my mind." Kagome fumed as she turned and ran back down the hall from where she came.

"Shouldn't we go after her?" Sango asked. "Sesshomaru doesn't give idle threats."

"We'll give her about fifteen minutes than we'll go after her. I'm pretty sure Sesshomaru won't hurt her."

"I agree with Inuyasha." Miroku said. "She'll be fine."

Kagome threw open the door to Sesshomaru's bedroom and stormed in. "Get up."

"I told you to get out!"

"No, I'm not going anywhere! How bad is it?" Kagome asked and then added after seeing Sesshomaru's surprised expression at her question. "Inuyasha told me about the poison."

He should have known Inuyasha would have said something. "It's none of your concern."

"Is that your answer for everything? I'm not going anywhere until you tell me how bad it is. I love you and nothing will change that."

Sesshomaru sighed as he threw his blankets off and swung his legs over the side of the bed and then stood. He turned and faced Kagome before taking a step forward. As he moved in her direction a gasp left her lips as she watched him limp severely in her direction.

"Get out!" He growled out at her reaction. "I don't want your pity."

"Pity?" Kagome responded as she walked up to him. "Is that what you see in my eyes?"

"…."

"Answer me."

"No."

"What do you see?"

"Love and concern."

"That's right. Even if you couldn't walk at all I would still love you. And if you had told me how bad the injury was I wouldn't have been taken by surprise." Kagome wrapped her arms around Sesshomaru's waist as she laid her head against his bare chest. "You're the one pitying yourself."

"I can't take you as my mate."

"Why?" Kagome asked looking up into his eyes.

"How am I going to protect you with a handicap such as this? Or any pups we may have?"

"You'll compensate. It can't be any harder to do than it was when you had lost your arm. You did fine with one arm until you got it back."

"This is permanent. My leg will not get better."

"I'm sure you'll find a way." Kagome said before reaching up and placing a kiss to his lips. "May my friends and I stay?"

"I'm not sure. I'll have to think on it." Sesshomaru responded with mock seriousness.

"I think I can persuade you."

"And how might you persuade me?"

"Oh, I don't know." Kagome said as she undid her obi, and then slipped her kimono off her shoulders letting it drop to the ground to pool at her feet. "I'll think of something."

*****

Inuyasha was pretty sure that Sesshomaru wouldn't do anything to harm Kagome, but he was starting to worry when it had been over fifteen minutes, and Kagome hadn't returned yet to let them know what had happened with her confrontation with Sesshomaru.

"I'm going to go check on them." Inuyasha said as he took off in the direction of the west wing.

Sango and Miroku looked at each other for a second before following.

Inuyasha slid to a stop before Keitaro who was standing at Sesshomaru's bedroom door. "My lord is busy at the moment. You will need to come back later."

A blush spread across Inuyasha's face from the sounds that came through the closed door along with the scent of sex heavy in the air. Just as he turned to leave Sango and Miroku finally caught up to him.

After hearing the sounds that were coming from the room Miroku asked. "Does this mean we get to stay?"


End file.
